Giving youth a say in business in Afghanistan

The country which seems to be newly recovering from nearly three
decades of war, coupled with storm of continuing obstacles and
severe challenges. It is not difficult for one to judge the
incompetence of youth in Afghanistan to mobilize and inspire the
country’s future, but according to Maiwand Rahyab, Counterpart
International’s deputy director of Afghanistan, there is “an
emerging generation that is striving to transform a war-torn
country into a safer, more secure, and prosperous place to live.”

Giving youth a say in business in Afghanistanis fundamental in a
sense that as the new generation of developing leaders they are
more sensitive to the changing trends which in effect is valuable
for business marketing and forecasting. They can play an
important role in building the new Afghanistan, particularly with
the ISAF mission due to end a year from now. It is equally
essential for youth to be considered in business and development
of Afghanistan as it is for the youth to be involved in politics
and other matters of the country since “youth movements are
changing politics by providing a platform that ties their present
and future to a stable and democratic Afghanistan.”

Though it remains an unstable, often a terror zone, Afghanistan
has its talented, ambitious, and inspiring youths with a fervent
desire to work in the rehabilitation of Afghanistan. To show the
world that children in Afghanistan also have talent and they can
build the country through music as well as other through other
means of business development. It is for these hosts of reasons,
they should be given a vocal support and a voice in the future
business and development of Afghanistan. It is imperative for
Afghan youth to learn because it does not only create a
motivating drive in their lives but it prevents neighbouring
countries from coming in to Afghanistan and making profits. In
fine, this will further sway them away from forced exploitation
such as sex from elder men, drug affiliation, and fundamental
madrasas which promote armed conflict. According to J.S Mill, "in
a free society if we are to develop, new ideas needs to be
tested; and must be allowed to be heard in the first place." He
could be right, if not given the chance to be heard, the society
can be stagnate. Even if that person’s minor opinion is wrong,
Mill argues there should be freedom of speech for an individual
otherwise we become traditionalists.

Hamdullah Mohib, Chair of Afghan Professionals network who works
closely with youth in business, said “The youth can build
innovative businesses that address the needs of the society
instead of the traditional import and export businesses. There
are many who have had education abroad and returned successfully
running businesses; creating jobs and providing solutions to
local needs.” A similar success story can be told about the
Afghan youth through Brett Smith, the director of the institute
for Entrepreneurship at the Farmer Business School at the
University in his recent article called ‘How Youth, Motivation
and Social Entrepreneurship Principles Can Create Positive Change
in Afghanistan’ proliferated the message to the world that
Afghanistan is not all about fighting: “Students are now educated
and empowered. They understand that individuals can affect real
and meaningful change.”

To this end, the youth of today have had the occasion to grow up
with more advanced technologies since the early years and they
have less trouble to understand and learn how to apply it in
their line of work. They would bring a breath of fresh air to
business because they have a more contemporary mind in respect to
older generations. However, it is my profound belief that things
will only get better at a fundamental level for Afghanistan in
order to “maintain its own security and prevent the return of
international terrorists” if the next generation of leaders in
Afghanistan could set themselves out to make an effort to build a
better Afghanistan. Though it seems a long-shot and an improbable
thing now, in contrary, with the unfolding of time and allowing a
platform of opportunities for imminent generation of bright
youths, it becomes a more attractive idea.